Hello, my name is Kate Hardie and I am a mother of 3 children, 1 of whom was diagnosed with coeliac disease at the age of 18 months. When a child is diagnosed with coeliac disease, it can be both daunting for the parent and frustrating for the child, who can feel excluded and different from their peers.

When our son was diagnosed in 2010 I felt there were a very limited number of recipes aimed at young children living with coeliac disease that would also appeal to non-coeliac sufferers. So I decided to write a gluten-free recipe book called 'Can I Eat It?' which provides midweek meals, to allow families to eat inspiring food together regardless of this auto-immune disease. As well as this, I designed some tasty snacks, school lunch box ideas and party treats, enabling my son to attend birthday parties, play dates, school trips etc with appetising and visually stimulating food.

My Story:
This book is entirely my own creation and was completed whilst juggling our 3 children under 5 and running our graphic design business with my husband.
I planned my recipes, made them, fine tuned them, tested them on many guinea pigs, created the food styling, photographed them, designed my book, created the e-book and here it finally is.

Just as William has asked at least once a day from the moment he could talk,
'Can I Eat It?' The answer to that is, 'Yes William, you can' and that is how the name of my book evolved.

Can I Eat It? is filled with great recipes – lots of inspiration for parents struggling to make interesting, shareable food for their allergic or coeliac kids. Check out some of Kate's recipes below if you want proof!

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the gluten-free flour with a wooden spoon until it becomes a thick, smooth paste, then gradually stir in the milk, beating constantly to make a thin, smooth liquid.

Simmer over a medium heat, stirring continuously, then add the grated Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyère cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened and appears velvety smooth.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling water, according to the packet instructions. Stir occasionally to make sure that the pasta does not stick. Cook until al dente, then drain well.

Stir into the sauce, followed by the Mozzarella, Parma ham and sun-dried tomatoes. Spoon the macaroni into ramekin dishes or a 1.2 litre lasagne dish and sprinkle with a bit more Cheddar cheese if desired.

Heat the grill and place on a baking tray. Grill for 8-10 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown on top.

Top Tip: Gluten-free pasta cooks quicker than whole grain pasta due to its rice content so keep a careful eye on it whilst cooking.

Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut the fish into a variety of shapes and lay them on a plate. Cover and place in the fridge whilst you prepare the bread crumbs and potato wedges. (Use the remaining fish to make a fish pie or popcorn sized fish finger shapes, depending how fussy you are!)

Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into chunky wedges and cook on a high heat in the microwave for approximately 6-8 minutes. Transfer to an oiled baking tray and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake in the oven for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Put the gluten-free cornflakes and bread into a food processor and blend into fine bread crumbs. Add the zest of half a lemon and the parsley and stir well, then empty into a bowl.

In a separate bowl beat the egg. Toss the shapes in the flour, then dip the egg and finally toss them in the breadcrumb and cornflake mix until evenly coated.

Lay the fish shapes on the oiled baking tray and lightly drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

Sieve the gluten-free flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add the ground almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl use an electric whisk to beat the softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then gradually add the flour mixture.

Stir in the crème fraiche, raspberries and lemon zest, then scatter the pecan nuts among the mini loaf cases. Spoon over the cake mixture, then top each cake with 1 peach slice and scatter with a little demerara sugar.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean, then turn out onto a wire rack.

I have introduced a new twist on the classic gingerbread which is stem ginger. The house will smell heavenly as the gingerbread cooks in the oven - This recipe certainly lives up to its name as it is packed with a lot of ginger punch!